Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: A retelling
by TheLogicalDreamer
Summary: The same old tale but with a twist. Who said only one family member could go with Charlie? Grandpa can dance around with the golden ticket and live out his dream of returning to the factory...but what if Charlie brought his older cousin, Rebecca, who shared his love for sweets and all things Chocolate? What happens when the Mysterious Mr. Wonka meets her? Wonka/OC
1. Chapter 1

On the outskirts of a small town, there was an old rickety house where a family of eight fit snugly in two small bedrooms.

The four grandparents spent their days sleeping on an old mattress that took up most of the room and smelled of sweat. They would be wrapped in a green and brown hand knitted blanket, made by Grandma Georgina, snoring, coughing, and making other noises for hours at a time. That is until their beloved grandson came home. Their eyes would pop open and a childish gleam would shine through. How they loved the small child.

Mr and Mrs Bucket shared a small wooden chair to rest their feet after long days of work. Mrs Bucket would come home after slaving over laundry every morning at the old 'Rags and Shine' dry cleaners and sit on the chair for exactly 10 minutes before she would be moving again. Taking care of the grandparents, keeping the small house clean, making sure her son did his homework, and then starting on dinner. Dinner was always the same, moldy cabbage soaked in hot water, but despite having practically nothing to work with, Mrs Bucket had a talent to make nothing taste good.

Mr Bucket worked at a Toothpaste factory where he spent the days screwing on caps on the toothpaste bottles. It was the only job he could get with his limited education and though it gave him such a low salary, he was determined to do the best he could.

Praying that they won't switch to machines like the competitive companies did, he left at the crack of dawn and returned in late hours exhausted. He wanted to prove that he was more effective than some new shiny machine.

Every night, he would sit in the small chair as his wife gave him his dinner and would listen to the grandparents ramble on about stories of their youth or to Charlie telling his grandparents about school.

Later on, he would set Charlie on his lap and point towards the stars in the hole in the ceiling he had been meaning to fix. He'd point out the dippers, the North star and then his lucky star. Every time he saw it he'd point it out for Charlie to see and say, "That one is Mars."

The youngest member of the household, Charlie, was a tiny child but very clever. Though he only had one once a year, the one thing he craved more than anything was Chocolate. But not just any Chocolate, Wonka's chocolate. The best chocolate in the world. Made from the very factory in his small town and by the man he admired the most, Willy Wonka.

Like his parents, he could dream up nothing into something and reach for the stars. Wild and crazy but with a hint of practical, he would invent new candies with an everyday use and would write and draw them in a small black notebook hoping someday he would be able to share them with his idol. To him, Wonka was his friend, he would write letters to him and share his secrets. Deep down he knew that the Chocolatier had no idea he even existed, but what can he say? He was obsessed.

Grandpa Joe was the oldest of the Grandparents, just turning 80, but he hadn't lived a dull life. Being only 2 when World War II began, he remembered the time of war and all of the stories of soldiers. He spoke of a super soldier who punched Hitler right in the face. It seemed to be one of his his favorite stories to tell because he would be giggling about it for the rest of the night.

He lived through many different wars, fighting in most of them. He recalled meeting his wife, Josephine, while in the service. She was studying to be a nurse at the time and he, a soldier who always seemed to get hurt, met her and fell deeply in love with her after he made her laugh. It was a sweet story and the ending was about them getting married and having their sons.

Though all the stories were interesting and new details always seemed to be added whenever they were told, there was no story that Charlie loved more than the one of the old Chocolate factory.

Grandpa Joe was just pushing 60 at the time, but age didn't matter to Wonka, for Joe was hired as a Security Guard. He recalled how the smell of creamy chocolate would fill every room and all the astonishing sights and treats the young chocolatier had invented. Just listening, Charlie's mouth would water for the delicious taste of chocolate and sweets and the emptiness in his tummy seemed more prominent, but though it was all but torture for him, he would ask his grandfather to press on with the story. He heard it a thousand times and knew it by heart, but there was something about the way his grandfather told it that made it even more magical and real.

And then there was a last person who lived in the small home, the niece of Mr Bucket, Rebecca. She was pale with a narrow face and lanky body. She wasn't particularly pretty, but 'beauty was in the eyes of the beholder' she would always tell Charlie whenever he asked her why she wasn't dating anyone or married yet.

She helped out as best as she could, working at the mini market on the street corner. She knew that they were ripping her off when it came to her salary, but they also knew that she couldn't afford to hire a lawyer to sue or to quit. So she kept her mouth shut and took whatever pathetic earnings she got and gave them to her family.

Though she was older than him, Rebecca and Charlie got along great. They would play games of make believe where Charlie was Willy Wonka and she would try one of his newest creations, or they would act out Grandpa Joe's stories and she would play a spy. Sometimes in their game, when Charlie was feeling imaginative, Wonka and the spy would turn into ninjas and they would fight until Wonka threw them out of his factory with a swing from his cane. Seeing the grin on Charlie's face was worth playing the same games every day.

After school, Charlie would stop at the mini market she worked at and they would walk home together. Like Charlie and Grandpa Joe, she had a love for chocolate and sweets, so every day, they would stop at the gates of the factory for a great big whiff of the delicious chocolate inside. That small hint of chocolate filled their senses and would usually tide them over until the next day when they did it again.

They were poor, but they had a good life. They weren't starving and they had what they needed. They were happy.


	2. Chapter 2

But all rainbows are chased away by storms, for tragedy struck the Bucket family.

One day after coming home from a double shift at the toothpaste factory, Mr Bucket sat in the little chair ghostly pale and dark shadows of exhaustion under his eyes. They finally did it, they brought in a machine to put the tops on the toothpaste bottles AND screw them on. They would be installed by the end of next week and Mr Bucket would be out of a job. The stress of not being able to provide for his family was too much for Mr Bucket. Tingles started to shoot up his left arm until it felt like he was lit on fire. They rushed him to the hospital but it was too late. Mr Bucket died that evening.

The whole family was devastated. Mrs Bucket threw herself in her work, taking extra shifts to try and make up for what was lost, but it was obvious it was so she could avoid having to think about the fact that she was alone now, that she lost her second half.

Grandpa Joe stopped telling jokes and stories. A dark cloud loomed over his head, keeping him from his once cheery self. Grandma Josephine would sit and stare at the little chair with a look of longing. They already lost their oldest son and to lose another just broke their frail hearts.

Grandma Georgina stopped knitting and sat silently, grateful that her daughter was still alive and well. Even Grandpa George stopped his usual grunts and complaints about the lack of food because it was a feast compared to what they were about to go through without Mr Bucket's main income.

Charlie started to close up. Gone was the optimistic boy that lit every room with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes when he spoke about Mr Wonka and chocolate. He pretended to be alright, not to worry his mother and grandparents, but Rebecca saw through it. She would wake to find him sitting in the small wooden chair staring up at the hole in the roof at the stars. She knew her cousin was hurting and it saddened her greatly.

She loved her uncle and she was thankful he took her in despite having next to nothing and having a family to provide for. He made room for her and for the last few years she did all she could to repay them for their generosity, support and love. Now that he was gone, she felt like the next best thing to repay him was to make sure Charlie smiled at least once a day. She made it her mission.

She started small, asking him about school and what he learned. He always had an amusing story to share about his insane math teacher. Then, she moved on to asking grandpa Joe and Charlie questions about Wonka that she knew they knew for sure. Grandpa Joe understood what she was doing and soon the rest of the family caught on. Now, the only thing that made Charlie smile was Willy Wonka but it was enough to start to bring the old Charlie back. His father was gone, but the memory would forever be with him.

Though Charlie was coming back, that didn't help with the fact they were poorer than ever. They could barely afford the basic necessities of the house. They scraped whatever they earned to make sure they still had heat for the freezing cold, hot water to cook and bathe with, and the lights during the night. They didn't own a tv or computer or anything other kids Charlie's age had. They couldn't afford them. Every cent went to bills and whatever food they could find that could feed them all but still be within their budget.

Soon, their meals consisted of a slice of bread in the morning and half of a boiled cabbage for dinner. But it wasn't enough for a growing boy like Charlie. He was already small for his age, but the lack of food made him deathly pale and his skin laid tight against his bones. He looked like a walking corpse. Rebecca and Mrs Bucket tried to give him their servings, but he insisted they needed it just as much as he did. He was a selfless boy, but stubborn too. Slowly the lack of food was getting to him, he started to make subtle adjustments to his schedule such as going to school earlier because he was far too weak to run to school.

Things were becoming scary for the Buckets and there didn't seem to be any hope on the horizon for them.


	3. Chapter 3

Things started to change once again when a new owner bought the market Rebecca worked at.

One day it was just a simple mini market that hardly had any customers save for a few junkies, people in a hurry who really needed their coffee and didn't care where they got it from, or people who just want directions to the super Wildmart a few blocks down. Then the next day, she was being told that the store was sold to someone who was going to turn it into a candy store.

It scared her, what would happen now? Will she lose her job? What about her family? Or poor Charlie? She needed this job more than anything, especially now that her uncle wasn't there.

But to her surprise, fate was in her corner. The new owner looked at the sorry excuse of a salary they were given and immediately raised it. It still wasn't enough to make them live comfortably but it meant that they could have hope for a brighter future.

But then she was met with a new dilemma..working in a shop filled with sweets and chocolate! Oh, how the temptations made her mouth water as she watched Nick,the new owner, unpack the box of chocolate. Oh yes, she was living in her own hell and she liked it.

Nick Nestle was a kind man with the bluest blue bell eyes and licorice black hair that's thinning a bit on top. He acted a lot older than he was, but in reality he was only 38. Poor Darren, another employee who worked there, once made a comment about the fact he was younger than he acted and Nestle ignored him for a whole hour.

What surprised her the most was the fact that he put Wonka bars in the front of the displays. True her family and herself loved the melt in your mouth chocolate, but not many knew about him anymore. When she questioned this, he looked at her with a twinkle in his eye and a wink, saying, "Well, dear girl, maybe that should change?"

The best reaction was when she told Charlie what has become of the small market. His face shifted into a grin and he started to jump up and down in excitement.

"Can I go with you to work tomorrow, Becca?" He begged, "Pleaaaaase?"

"Now, Charlie, you know you have school tomorrow." Mrs. Bucket lightly scolded, "But you can go after school to walk home with her like you always do."

Rebecca grinned as Charlie threw his arms around his mom and then rushed at her, arms wrapped tightly around her waist, "Thank you, mom! Becca! Chocolate! I wonder what kind they have?"

She just grinned at her little cousin knowing full well what type they had, "you'll have to wait and see, kiddo."

"I need to tell Grandpa Joe!" he shouted in excitement and ran into the small house with a skip in his step.

"I don't think I've ever seen him this happy since…." Mrs Bucket trailed off, her eyes wandering up to the stars.

Rebecca knew the look in her eyes and patted her arm in comfort, "Do you need help finishing up the laundry?" She asked softly, causing her Aunt to shake her head, "Just make sure Charlie does his homework?"

"of course." she kissed her cheek, "Thank you." she whispered, she knew that she didn't have to thank her, but she was still grateful to live with them and for all that they have done to provide for her. She will never stop saying thank you.

She then headed inside to find Charlie once again absorbed in Grandpa Joe's Wonka stories. He wore a top hat he made from newspaper and held a cardboard cane made from several toilet paper holders paste together, his eyes wide with excitement as he heard the same Wonka story.

Rebecca smiled and sat next to Charlie as they listened, when they heard Mrs Bucket start to come inside, Charlie threw the hat off his head, along with the cane. Rebecca opened the English book and started to explain to him what a verb was. She knew that Charlie, being a bright kid, already knew what a verb was, but she knew that she explained it well and that Mrs. Bucket wouldn't get suspicious.

"So a Verb is a word that describes an action, state, or occurrence, and forming the main part of the predicate of a sentence-" Rebecca trailed off and lifted her head to look at her Aunt with a look of innocence that she knew Charlie and Grandpa Joe matched.

Mrs Bucket had to suppress an eyeroll at their expressions. She knew how much Charlie loved candy and hearing the stories, but she also wanted him to have a good future. He couldn't eat daydreams. So, she made a rule of no Wonka until his homework was done. She knew they broke the rule nightly, but the grin she was awarded with was worth it. She could never say no to that Bucket grin.

"Charlie Bucket, you know what a verb is. Please do your actual homework." Mrs. Bucket scolded gently with an amused smile.

Charlie let out a sigh and took the book from his older cousin and stuffed it into his school bag, before taking out his math book. "It was worth a shot." he whispered to Rebecca as he opened to the pages he was supposed to do in his book.

Once she was satisfied that Charlie was actually doing homework, Mrs. Bucket moved towards the kitchen to finish stirring the cabbage and little carrot soup. It was a little more than they usually had, but the small carrots seemed to dissolve in the boiling water, so it wasn't that much of a difference. With both her and Rebecca's salary, she hoped that they would be able to have a decent meal soon. But with the hospital and funeral bills...it was still so soon and they had to pay those off before they could even think of having a slab of meat or a loaf of bread with their meal.

"Billy's parents had 396 pieces of Candy-" Charlie started to say his math problem but was caught off by Grandpa George, "396 pieces of candy? What kind of person has that many candies?

"Grandpa, please." Rebecca tried to calm him gently, "Charlie needs to do his homework."

"It's still not right!" He huffed, pulling the blanket towards his chin and shifting on his side, his back facing them.

"Go on Charlie, finish your problem." she murmured to her cousin, rubbing his shoulder as she leaned over his side to watch his work.

"Right." he mumbled, "Billy's parents had 396 pieces of Candy, if they have 4 children and 2 are boys, if divided evenly, how many pieces of candy will all the children get?"

Grandpa George scoffed again at the thought of children having that much candy but decided not to say anything more.

"Well, you've lost me. English is my subject and Math makes my head spin." Rebecca ruffled his hair before standing up, watching him trying to work out the problem with a small smile. Charlie was a special kid. He deserved more than the cards that were dealt to him. She just hoped their luck would change soon and something good will happen for Charlie and their family.


End file.
